Champion of the Barrio | Champion of the Barrio | An inspiring true story

Buryl Baty was a winning athlete, coach, builder of men, and an early pioneer in the fight against bigotry. In 1950, after serving in the second world war and then quarterbacking the Texas Aggies during the glory days of the old Southwest Conference, Baty became head football coach at Bowie High School in El Paso

NEWS

PURCHASE BOOK

THE STORY

The Legacy of Buryl Baty

Buryl Baty was a winning athlete, coach, builder of men, and an early pioneer in the fight against bigotry. In 1950, after serving in the second world war and then quarterbacking the Texas Aggies during the glory days of the old Southwest Conference, Baty became head football coach at Bowie High School in El Paso. He quickly inspired his athletes, all Mexican Americans from the south side ghetto, the Segundo Barrio, with his winning ways and his personal stand against the era’s extreme, deep-seated prejudice—to which they were subjected.

However, just as the team was poised to win a third championship, they were jolted by an unthinkable tragedy that turned their world upside down. Later, these matured former players realized how Coach Baty had influenced them to be worthy and successful men, and dedicated their high school stadium in his name. After another few years, Baty was inducted into the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame.

Roger Staubach

Ray Sanchez

Former writer and Editor of The El Paso Herald-Post, Author of seven books, member of five Halls-of-fame, recipient of several journalism awards, consultant for the movie “Glory Road”

"...powerful and uplifting."

Frances B. Vick

Coauthor of Petra’s Legacy and Letters to Alice

“...a legacy of inspiration, social consciousness and love. ”

Nolan Richardson, Jr.

National Collegiate Basketball, Naismith Memorial and Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, NCAA National Championship coach, SEC Coach of the Year, and graduate of Bowie High School in the Segundo Barrio of El Paso